Iran Press/ Europe: The British government on Friday said it had officially told the European Union it would not seek an extension to the post-Brexit transition period beyond December 31 this year.
"I formally confirmed the UK will not extend the transition period & the moment for an extension has now passed," senior minister Michael Gove tweeted after a meeting with EU leaders.
According to AFP, Gove spoke with European Commission Vice President Maroš Šef?ovi? and EU negotiator Michel Barnier at the second meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee on implementing the withdrawal agreement earlier today, where he reiterated Downing Street's refusal.
The Joint Committee had to decide by the end of the month on whether to extend the status quo transition. However, there are no more meetings of the committee planned until September, meaning the EU takes the U.K.'s decision "as a definite conclusion of this discussion," Šef?ovi? told journalists after the meeting.
"I have taken note of the position of the UK on this issue and have stated, as President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen did earlier, that the EU remains open to such an extension," Šef?ovi? said. However, he added: "We take this decision as a definitive one."
The British people (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) voted in a referendum for the exit of the country from the European Union on June 23, 2016.
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